Rein-holder



(No Model.)

D. 0. PERKINS.

Y REIN HOLDER. No. 349,517. Patented Sept. 21, 18,86.

N. PETERS. PHoXoLlluagraphur. Washington, D. c.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

DANIEL G. PERKINS, OF FAIRFIELD, MAINE.

RE lN-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,517, dated September 21, 1886.

Application filed December 3, 1885.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL G. PERKINS, of Fairfield, in the county'of Somerset and State of Maine, have invented a new and Improved Rein-Protector and Rein-Holder, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my improvement is to .produce a rein-protector and rein-holder which will keep the reins from becoming entangled with a whiffletree or cross-bar, or with the horses tail, or from becoming entangled with one another, and also to provide for securing the reins at any time when it may be desirable to do soas, for instance, when a driver leaves a vehicle.

I will describe a rein-protector and reinholder embodying my improvement, and then point out the various novelv features in a claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of shafts having applied to them a rein-protector and reinholder embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a front view of the rein protector and reinholder. 4

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in both figures.

A designates shafts ofordinary construction, connected by a cross-bar, A, which is provided with a whiffletree, A, as usual.

B designates a bow formed, preferably, of steel and bifurcated at the ends, so that it may be secured firmly to the shafts. Its bifurcated ends extend fore and aft. of the shafts, so as to steady it. It may be provided with bifurcated ends by forming it of a single continuous piece, bending its ends somewhat forward, and then attaching, by welding or otherwise, rearwardly-extending braces correspond-. ing to the parts B. The bifurcated ends will preferably be attached to the shafts in advance and in the rear of the cross-bar A of the shafts. They may then be secured to the shafts by bolts, which are ordinarily employed to secure to the shafts the iron straps with which the latter are invariably provided. When attached by these bolts, no new holes need be made in the shaft to enable the reinprotector and rein-holder to be attached to the shafts. The rein-protector and rein-holder can then easily be moved by removing the bolts and afterward replacing the bolts in the shafts and iron straps. The shafts will not then indicate that the rein-protector and reinholder has been applied by reason of the pres- Serial No. 184,578. (No model.)

ence of unoccupied holes or like disfigurement. It is also important to secure the reinprotector and rein-holder in place by these bolts, because then the shafts are not Weakened by any extra holesin them.

The bow B rises behind the horse sufficiently high to keep the reins from entangling with the whiffletree or with the horses tail.

Upon the top of the bow B is mounted a double scroll,which may also be made of steel. It consists of a strip having its ends bent around so that they will form two loops, b, and so that the extremities will touch or almost touch the main portion. This scroll may be secured to the bow in any suitable manner.

The-reins are passed through the loops b, one rein being arranged in each loop. They will thus be kept separate and prevented from becoming entangled with each other. Should it become desirable at any time to fasten the reins in position-as, for instance, when the driver is compelled to leave his wagon-the reins-may be forced under the extremities of the scroll, whereupon they will be gripped and held between them and the main portion of the scroll. The extremities of the scroll are preferably bent upward slightly, in order that the reins, may be slipped past them sidewise.

This rein-protector and rein-holder may be decorated or embellished to suit the taste. Preferably the scroll and the upper part of the boW will be plated with silver, nickel, or like metal. v

My rein-protector and rein-holder is extremely simple, cheap, and light, and it presents an ornamental appearance.

What-I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A rein-protector and rein-holder mounted upon shafts and provided with a scroll comprising a main portion and two end portions bent over toward the main'portion and toward each other into approximately the same vertical plane as the main portion, so as to form loops, the extremities of such bent-over portions touching or nearly touching the main portion, and forming springs whereby the reins may be gripped; substantially as and for the purpose specified.

DANIEL O. PERKINS.

Witnesses:

F. E. MCFADDEN, HORATIO N. REED. 

